Someone dumped a bunch of old hexes on me, and I am trying to figure out what brand they are. The only labeling they have is the size (ex. #10). They are slung with cord, completely symmetrical, and not painted. Any ideas?

Someone dumped a bunch of old hexes on me, and I am trying to figure out what brand they are. The only labeling they have is the size (ex. #10). The are slung with cord, completely symmetrical, and not painted. Any ideas?

Chouinard originally released the Hexentric in sizes 1-10. They were symmetrical and all required cordage. Within about 2-3 years Chouinard started making asymmetrical hexentrics, and at the same time started making sizes 1-3 with wire cable.

The inner bore looks too flattened at the top to be a Chouinard hex. I'm going with Clog or some other brand. The absence of the "diamond C" logo is another bit of evidence against them being Chouinard.

Maybe. I guess it could be a Clog. But look at the catalog page I linked. Especially the two larger sizes. And on some of the hexes I have, the "C" is certainly worn off. The stamping wasn't that deep to begin with.

OP: BTW, the larger old symmetrical Chouinard hexes I have had lightening holes drilled in the side walls. Later versions had thinner side walls. The 1972 catalog page shows a flattened inner bore, no lightening holes and a thicker wall - which I think means even older than the ones I have.

The inner bore looks too flattened at the top to be a Chouinard hex. I'm going with Clog or some other brand. The absence of the "diamond C" logo is another bit of evidence against them being Chouinard.

Nope. That is definitely a first gen Chouinard and certainly not a Clog, as early Clogs did not have that shape, which I believe is a Chouinard patent. THe diamond C logo was stamped on the top of the nut between but offset from the cord holes. Hence, it doesn't show in those two photos.

OP: BTW, the larger old symmetrical Chouinard hexes I have had lightening holes drilled in the side walls. Later versions had thinner side walls.

You sure about that? Between my college buddies and me, we had just about every version of early Chouinard hexes (and Stoppers). My memory says the lightening holes came a year or two AFTER the shape changed to the eccentric (asymmetrical) hex.

Heh.. I just checked. You're right! My old hexes with lightening holes were asymmetrical.

So 1st was symmetrical hexentrics 2nd was asymmetrical with thick walls but no lightening holes 3rd was asymmetrical with thick walls and lightening holes 4th was asymmetrical with thinner walls and no lightening holes 5th was anodized and cabled.

Maybe. I guess it could be a Clog. But look at the catalog page I linked. Especially the two larger sizes. And on some of the hexes I have, the "C" is certainly worn off. The stamping wasn't that deep to begin with.

OP: BTW, the larger old symmetrical Chouinard hexes I have had lightening holes drilled in the side walls. Later versions had thinner side walls. The 1972 catalog page shows a flattened inner bore, no lightening holes and a thicker wall - which I think means even older than the ones I have.

Look more closely at that catalog. Those look asymmetrical to me. The text even describes them as having an "irregular hexagon" shape. (though a hexagon can be irregular but still symmetrical, I'll grant).

Look more closely at that catalog. Those look asymmetrical to me. The text even describes them as having an "irregular hexagon" shape. (though a hexagon can be irregular but still symmetrical, I'll grant).

They were never true hexagons in the sense of having equal length sides. The "symmetrical" ones as shown on that catalog page were symmetrical along the vertical axis. Current non-symmetrical BD hexes are "skewed" along the vertical axis. No equal length sides at all.